Emptiness and Empathy
by Shadow's Painting
Summary: Aerugo is determined to win the southern border wars with Amestris. They've developed their own kind of weapon: an emotionless girl, Reyn Fukerita. There's nothing she can't overcome... Or is there?
1. Prologue

**Here it is! The non Tom and Jerry crack product, remake of that... Tom and Jerry crack product!**  
***I don't smoke* **

_Prologue: The Aerugan Weapon_

Alone, in a white, dull, empty room. Glass doors. Nothing. The nothingness doesn't bother the girl. Nothing does. She sits down at the moment, cross legged with her eyes closed. Her face is stoic and unmoving, as if she is asleep. Alas, she is not asleep. She is wide awake, thinking nothing but one thing: Follow orders.

That is her purpose. Her life.

Long, perfect streaks of brown hair. A perfectly shaped face. Everything is perfect. There is nothing about her that could be pointed to, or stared at, or anything.

"Reyn."

The girl opens her eyes to reveal the clearest blue pools of colour, and stands slowly, but surely. She walks to the end of the room and opens the door, her eyes searching for the body that matched that voice. And she did find, in fact, that head of jet black hair and the sparkling white coat, and the pair of eyes hiding behind rectangular glasses. The features that could only belong to the one and only Artemis.

"Master Artemis?" Reyn spoke quietly, striding up to the man in a flawless manner. "You called?" She continued, her voice as cool as the metal end of a knife left out for a night. Artemis nodded stiffly, a pencil wedged between his ear like a child. Normally, this would have bothered just about anyone else in the laboratory, because it violated the formal and proper dress etiquette. But Reyn wasn't bothered. Reyn did not feel anything towards this man's dressing. She could care less. Nonetheless, Artemis started to walk, motioning for Reyn to follow. She did, of course.

He led her to a different room, still white and dull and empty, save for a large capsule like container that stretched ceiling high in the middle of it.

"Reyn, please sit down," Artemis said, gesturing to a small table with three chairs. The brown haired one sat down, her face unchanging, and Artemis sat down next to her. He stared at her for a moment, his face twisted in an unreadable expression. "You know of the southern border wars with Amestris, correct?" He asked. Reyn nodded nonchalantly. "Yes sir." She deadpanned.

"You know of your purpose?"

"To eliminate Amestris' defenses and gain land for the Aerugan people."

Artemis nodded. "Yes." He sighed. "Reyn, you're going to be enlisted to the military."  
Reyn nodded. "I predicted so, sir."

"You know of Amestris' alchemy?" Artemis looked at the girl with a questioning glance, knowing that even though Aerugo took a wide turn from Amestris when it came to technology - moving from alchemy to chemistry. Most Aerugan citizens didn't even realize alchemy existed.

"I understand little about how alchemy works." Reyn monotoned, "But I will acquire knowledge about the subject and terminate all my weaknesses to it as I encounter it."

The black haired one nodded again and looked away. "It is time to wage war, Reyn."

"Yes, Master, it is time to wage war."


	2. Weapon

Chapter 1

Artemis stood up from the table and walked to the large structure in the middle of the room, not bothering to allow Reyn to follow him. He fiddled around with the casing until it hissed softly, the hinges falling off uselessly. He pushed the walls of the capsule off, and they fell with a loud clanging noise. What remained was a simple looking weapon. A shield, to be exact. It was rectangular and silver, shining in the artificial light of the room with some kind of glory neither of them would be able to explain. Artemis touched the weapon once and it quivered, shimmering ripples flowing across it like wavelengths on a radar. "This is really high-tech." He started, "It has quicksilver in it. It could be related to alchemy's 'Philosopher's Stone.'"

Reyn nodded once, taking in all of the information. "The shield uses quicksilver to change shape, very quickly." Artemis continued. "Not many people are able to use it properly though, because of mental issues. It responds to changes in neuron signals, you see. If there're too many thoughts and emotions causing different signals to go off, it won't catch the right one, and it won't change."

Reyn, a stoic expression stuck on her face, nodded again.

"This is where you come in. I think having all weapons in one would come in handy..." Artemis smiled slightly. "Besides, it's the only one in the world, and no one else can use it." He put it in her arms, where it quivered once more and then stopped. "It's yours now."

The girl stared at the shield levelly, and then placed it behind her back like the common hero in a young boy's novel.

Artemis nodded. "Well, you'll be enlisted to the military tomorrow, so get some rest." He smiled at her again. "You'll be the youngest there at nineteen."

Reyn nodded and traveled back to her own white room indifferently.

Of course, the girl slept, and the next morning she was on the train to Aerugo's military campus. Artemis sat next to her. "..." He remained quiet.

Soon though, Artemis felt compelled to make conversation. "Reyn..." He sighed, "How does it feel?" Of course, Reyn was obliged to answer. But at a time like this, she said something along the lines of, "State the subject of your question."

Artemis sighed once more. "How does it feel to not have feelings."

"Well." Reyn deadpanned. "Since I do not own feelings, I cannot tell you how it feels." She breathed. "I can explain how I fair physically, but mentally is a different matter." The man nodded and turned away, looking out the window while eating what most people would think strange in this situation - gelatin cubes. They were lime flavored and cut perfectly. This was a regular thing for Artemis. He was convinced that gelatin was the only thing one could eat without damaging their brains due to an accident of his own in earlier years. But this isn't his story.

"Want some?" He asked Reyn. She shook her head. "Gelatin is not the healthiest for one's body." She argued, "Also, I am not hungry at the moment."

"Say whatever you want." He shrugged. "Just means I get more."

Reyn didn't say anything more as the train stopped, and Artemis smiled and stood after finishing his 'meal', motioning for Reyn to follow him. As expected, she did.

The stoic girl's enlistment into the military took very little time, and soon Reyn and the small amount of belongings that she had were in a room with two other people. She didn't know who they were yet, but she would soon.

Everything was fine for now.


	3. Matthew

**_HIIIIIIIIIII_**

**_Chapter 2_**

"Matthew Fisher?" Artemis called, Reyn standing next to him straight and tall, the stoic expression on her face still evident. A young man of short stature walked into view, wearing Aerugo's military uniform, like Reyn. It was black up and down save for the ends of the cuffs, which were striped with purple and gold. Matthew's hair was a dark brown, and his eyes were a matching shade of ebony. He held himself in such a docile manner that Artemis could easily think of him as a child. "Yes sir?" He saluted. "You called."

Artemis nodded and gestured to Reyn. "This is your new roommate, Reyn Fukerita. She's a bit special." At first, the young man looked Reyn over with a scrutinous gaze. "...She's small." He shrugged. "And she looks really boring."

"She is really boring." Artemis laughed, patting Reyn's head as if she was a small child. It spurred no kind of reaction from the girl, and Matthew raised an eyebrow. He smiled kindly and waved to Artemis. "May we go, sir?" He asked.

"Oh, but of course." Artemis grinned. "Personally I'd like it if she'd show what she's really like outside of the war zone." He sighed.

Matthew nodded. "Of course." He turned around and led Reyn to their bunker. "So, Reyn, is it?" The apathetic girl looked at him with sharp blue pools of color, as if she was staring through to his soul. The young boy seemed to shrink a bit as she spoke. "Yes, what is it?" She asked tonelessly and smoothly. "Well, we'll be going on the front lines soon, and..." He trailed off.

"And you want to know more about me?" She droned. "Is that it?"

Matthew nodded slowly, rubbing the back of his neck absentmindedly. "Y-Yeah." He smiled. "So I know what to say when, so I don't upset you or anything." Reyn shook her head slightly. "I have no personality." She deadpanned. "There is little to know. I exist to obey. That is all."

"Aw, that's boring." Matthew said as he opened the door to their own bedroom, as could be said. "So you can't even relax, just for a moment?" She shook her head. Matthew laughed lightly. "No no, that won't do. You need to have fun." He smiled.

"Entertainment does not win a war." Reyn answered immediately. "Skill does. Patience does. Knowledge does. Integrity does." She pulled the gleaming, quivering shield from her back and presented it to Matthew. "People in general are scared to face death due to the war. It is my only purpose to free the people of that fear. Some follow and others lead. I do both." She monotoned. Matthew nodded in understanding.

"Who do you follow?" He stared levelly at her. "Do you follow the military? Do you follow who gives you orders?"

Reyn stared back, her eyes flashing with some sense of reaction. "I follow what orders I have been given. That is all."

"Oh, of course." Matthew nodded. "So if I ordered you to kill me, would you?"

"Indeed, I would."

Matthew didn't say another word for the rest of the night.


	4. Alchemy

Chapter 4

When dawn chased the shadows of the night away and lit the room, the stoic girl blinked her blue eyes open and sat up in the bed, looking around the room with an unfeeling gaze. She moved almost robotically, stepping out of bed and walking to the sink.

"You brush your teeth?" Matthew asked, still in bed.

"It's good hygiene." She answered tonelessly.

"Well, yeah." He said, climbing down from the bunk and walking next to her. His hair was a mess and he looked groggy overall; there were bags over his eyes and he held himself in a slouch. Cracked white trails indicated that his eyes had been watering. "But," He continued, "I just thought you... uh... nevermind."

Reyn nodded. "You can tell me when you remember, Matthew." She droned. "For now let us eat. That is the proper way to act in the morning, yes?"

Matthew nodded. "Yeah..." He walked out the door as Reyn followed.

The halls were white. Everything was white as Reyn and the young soldier strode proudly through the corridor, making their way to the mess hall. As per usual, Reyn's face was a stone mask. She absorbed every detail of the hallway, her eyes flickering from here to there, and back again.

"Do you think?" Matthew asked.

"Of course."

They arrived upon the mess hall and took their food gingerly.

"Amestris' alchemy is complicated." Matthew started, drawing a circle on the napkin between he and Reyn. "It starts with a circle."

Reyn nodded, looking at him intently. "You know of their alchemy? How so, may I ask?" She stared at him with blank eyes as he began listing the basics of alchemy. "One cannot obtain something, without losing something of equal value." Matthew continued. "I lived in Amestris for some time." He explained to her. "Using alchemy was essential there."

The girl nodded, staring at the circle with great intensity.

"So anyway..." Matthew finished for now, "This evening we're being deposited at the battlefront." Reyn snapped to attention instantly as he continued.

He began to explain their plans for that day.

Tomorrow, everything would change.

**jl;akdjf;aklj jI updated :D so short though oh well next chappie she meets ENVY! YUSH! **


	5. Surprises

**_Heeeeey! Who thinks they should review? YOU DO! _**

Chapter 5

Again, dawn poked its head into the world, gingerly seeping through the sky and painting the world, bleaching the covers of the Aerugan tarps a brilliant white. Immediately Reyn opened her eyes. She was the first to wake.

Expressionless, Reyn walked outside of the tent. She squinted as the wind blew hot, dry air and sand into her eyes, and forced trails of tears down her cheeks. It would be a long battle if the weather dallied such as this. The sun, bright and yellow already, laid low and lazily in the sky, resting its head on the horizon. It hovered in the east as it always did, almost setting a border between the two camps at war.

Reyn sat herself down outside the canvas and kept watch for her enemies, her stature like stone. She could easily pass off as a statue. Moments passed, then minutes. When the sun had reached above the line where the sand touches the sky, the stoic girl strode back into the tent. She raised her silver shield and a metal spoon, the two meeting halfway in a brazen harmony that was sure to wake the others.

"Holy!" Matthew shot upwards and threw his pillow in Reyn's direction, which she easily dodged. "Don't do that to us!" He whined. "I thought we were gonna die!" The young soldier hopped down from his bunk and yawned as the others woke up groggily. Matthew smiled to Reyn, and the team of five got ready for combat quickly.

The sun was high overhead by now, baking the sand and the faces of the Aerugan soldiers. Reyn marched proudly with the other four men, though her face was still a stoic mask; she walked quietly as the others talked and laughed together. The five walked for hours on end until sand turned to rock and weeds.

They had reached the borderline.

Reyn could see the sandbags and barbed wires of the Amestrian fools, and the laughter between the four men ceased. "Ready? Hit and run, remember?" Matthew nodded to the rest, taking his fine piece of artillery from behind his back and aiming. Smoke plumed from the barrel as he shot, the rest doing the same. A pained yell could be heard from where the Aerugans stood, full of anger and hate. Matthew smiled and they ran. "Little by little." He grinned. "That's how you win a battle."

Reyn ran along with them, and after 150 yards of running, they shot again. This continued for a bit until the sun hung low in the sky, the Aerugans covered in sweat and blood from the retaliations of a few Amestrians. They were all, save for Reyn, smiling and laughing. This was small talk - just a teaser so that Amestris would know what was coming for them. By nightfall Reyn and the others were back in their tent, telling stories of what could have happened and such. The stoic girl lay down in her own bed and waited for sleep to take its hold.

Before she could fall into slumber, Matthew called her name, shocking her back into attention. "Yes?" She turned to him, "Do you require my assistance?"

"What do you know about Ishval?"

Reyn didn't bat an eye. "Ishval was annexed into Amestris recently, so it seems. Though after a few disputes a sort of civil war has broken out, due to what is thought to be religious difference." She recited. "Was that information of use to you?"

"Yeah." He smiled, rolling over in bed. "We've been transferred there already. Going by train in three days. Apparently we're going to weaken them from inside their own territory."

She nodded. "If that is all, good night, Matthew." She turned over in her cot as well.

He nodded. "Same."

The next morning all was quiet, quiet enough to the point where one could hear another's breathing from the other side of the room if they put their ears to use. Dawn had not yet sprung up from the ground and brightened the sky, but Reyn was already awake, listening for the whispers of the night's departure from the world.

Then, Reyn sat up in the bed, alert. The air suddenly smelled faintly of smoke and she could hear the sound of a click, as if someone had taken the lid off of something hard.

She was a moment too late in reaching for her weapon to shield herself with; the sky brightened and only fractions of a moment later the bomb went off.


	6. Questioning

Chapter 6

Everything flew backwards as Reyn saw the attackers - a group of Amestrians. She should have seen it coming. Scanning the area for any others, she skipped backwards with the rest of the debris, holding her side; her hands came away red and sticky. Reyn grimaced slightly and examined the wound. The Amestrians seemed to have run off.

Reyn straightened her posture and examined her surroundings. The air still smelled of smoke, and it choked her a bit. The sky was clearing a little bit; she could see rays of dawn through the tainted air. Quietly, she searched for her comrades. They were fine, but...

_Matthew wasn't there._

The stoic girl remained calm as the others began to wonder where he had gone. She ran her mind through all of the possibilities.

The first was that Matthew had been blown to bits. But she ruled it out instantly; nothing was destroyed, just blown away by the force. There was no sign of Matthew's remains.

The second was that Matthew had sensed it sooner than Reyn and escaped - Impossible.

The third was a complex guess. Reyn nodded slightly - She guessed that Matthew escaped during the smokescreen. This required one of two things: That either Matthew had a lucky strike and escaped the Amestrians, or that Matthew was one of them himself.

Matthew could be. He knew alchemy.

She banished the thought from her head. That would be treason. Matthew would never do such a thing; he was a soldier of the Aerugan military. Like the other soldiers, as well as Reyn, he had pledged his loyalty to the citizens and to the prince of the land, Claudio Aerugo. He was a man of good stature, and he genuinely cared for the people... wasn't that right?

"I will search for him," She concluded, turning to face the remaining soldiers. "He cannot be far. The rest of you should tend to your injuries - north of here is a large town called Nopal, a place where textiles are produced. There should be a hospital there." They began to protest. "No," one of them argued, "We can't leave a soldier behind, right? We'll look for him together. Besides, you're injured."

"That is not your concern," Reyn shook her head, feeling her injury once more. The jacket of her uniform, bold and black, covered most of the blood, but she could still feel the stickiness of it all. "I can take care of myself." She continued, "It is my job to see that you do not die in battle. Consider this a battle." The stoic girl faced the soldier, boring into his eyes with a blank stare that might have sent shivers through his spine. "Now leave."

The men nodded and left, leaving Reyn alone with the calculations that attacked her mind. Mathew could be anywhere - for all she knew he could be right under her feet. She knew, though, that he couldn't be far. He needed water as much as she did, and the desert held next to none. The most logical thing to do would be to find another campsite.

She ruled it out. Though they were so close to the border, they were miles from another campsite of Aerugan soldiers. She shook her head ever so slightly, her guesses bombarding her conscious until she could think of nothing else. There was only one possibility left.

_She refused to believe it. That was not true at all._

Reyn continued walking, the sun's heat seeming to intensify by a millionfold. She needed water. She needed shade. She needed food. Alas, she continued to walk. As she walked, she began to think, as there was nothing else to occupy her mind. She thought of the way she was.

She was toneless, apathetic, emotionless. But if that was so, then why did she bother to refuse her comrade's suggestion to look for Matthew as one? Was it because she cared for all of them as Aerugan citizens and did not want them to be hurt further? Or was it because of something else?

Suddenly she held her head. A noise like a milk bottle being shot at point-blank range sounded in her mind, wiping her thoughts clean. This happened often, when her mind would wander off. It was like a gift from the scientists. She held her head high again.

_What was she thinking of?_

Matthew. She was to find Matthew, her comrade. And he was nothing more to her.

Her breaths came out in short puffs; she hadn't stopped to rest once, and the sun was low in the sky. She had to find him; it was as if he held some sort of key that she desperately needed. By now she had probably managed to walk in a circle around the area - to no avail, as Matthew was still missing. Her assumption pounded at her skull again.

She must be quite tan by now, and she was quite weak; she staggered every now and then, and she was beginning to see mirages in the burning hot sand.

That was it, sand. It was all rock and sand and dust that covered the battlefront; it stung one's eyes and made them puke in the heat. Reyn had done that several times already.

Suddenly her foot touched something that was harder than rock and hotter than the sand. She knelt down to touch it, pulling away as her hands burned. It was made of metal - made by human hands. Gingerly, she brushed some sand out of the way, and began to push on it in every direction she could. It began to open, a dark maw just waiting for her to jump in and satisfy itself.

Shade. Possibly water.

That was all she needed to know to have the bravery to jump in.


	7. Watched

**Chapter 7**

It took more than forever for Reyn's eyes to adjust. She felt along the sides of the tunnel, sizing it up well. The air was still as dry as the air above, but the air was cooler and seemed to move slowly along, telling her that it was quite long. Her footsteps made tiny sounds like shoes on pavement - the echoes were canny and short. The tunnel was small, around six feet tall at Reyn's guess, and 5 feet wide.

After a while, Reyn guessed that there was no light source in this tunnel. She closed her eyes, hearing nothing but the echoes of her own footsteps as she walked.

There was a number of different possibilities concerning the tunnel. The first: Matthew was at the other end. The second: It led into Amestris. The third: Both of the above. The fourth: It led back into Aerugo. The fifth: The tunnel led into one Amestris' border countries: Drachma, Creta, or even across the great desert into Xing. Reyn didn't bother to care where it led - she just required water at the moment.

The slightest sound alerted her - the sound of a droplet of water hitting the ground. Water, indeed. As Reyn continued to walk she heard the trickling of a stream, and finally the much welcomed sound of water careening through the rocks, shaping them. She knelt downwards and felt around for stone, for anything. Her fingers closed around what she thought to be a piece of flint. Carefully, she cut off a piece of her uniform and dug through her pockets for anything straight. She came across a pen. Very circumspectly, she removed the ink cartridge from the casing and set it aside. Searching well, Reyn found the wad of torn cloth and wrapped it around the casing. Then came the next step - the fire. She still held the stone in her hands, and with a flick of her wrist - a very graceful flick indeed - she struck the rock onto the ground, causing sparks to fly for a split second.

Now she knew where to place the cloth; without moving the hand that held the flint she shifted the makeshift torch up a few inches, in line with the stone. She struck again; at first the cloth refused to light, but after a number of attempts she had enough light to see by.

She picked the torch up carefully; she would have less than an hour with a simple wooden pen and cloth torch. As if smoking, Reyn stuck the cold end of the torch in between her teeth, with the flame set far enough to the left to allow the stoic girl to see. She continued her walk, now able to add another sense to her observation.

The ground was hard rock, and if she didn't have shoes on at the moment her feet would be calloused; though there were also traces of sand, enough to leave footprints. Reyn's sense of hearing was correct, though - a stream flowed nearby. She walked to the bed of the stream and knelt down once more, piling sand to fit the torch on neatly before moving far away from it and submerging her head. The feeling of fresh, cool water was a blessing. Reyn washed her face off and took a few drinks, slowly at first, and then mere moments later she was filling herself to the brim.

Once she was finished with this, she picked the torch up again and looked back at the bed.

Footprints.

Matthew could have passed here. They both required the same things...

The footprints led upstream. Two possibilities.

The stream could be a tributary, meaning that Reyn should travel downstream to find a bigger body of water.

Or, Reyn could travel upstream and find the source. She could also find the owner of the footprints. It could be Matthew.

Why was she so intent on finding him? Matthew could take care of himself. Couldn't he?

_The sound of an automobile collision coursed through her mind._

Reyn held her head in frustration. What had she been thinking about? Where was she going?

... To find Matthew, of course. To find her lost comrade, because he was an Aerugan soldier and it was her duty to protect all of them.

_Reyn began to follow the footprints, unaware of the flickering shadow that watched her every move..._


	8. Recover

Chapter 8

The fire was dying, and Reyn's left arm was beginning to leave trails of blood. Her eyelids fluttered with every step, and she could feel her heartbeat in her fingertips. She would collapse soon, she knew. What was this feeling that tugged at her chest and trailed behind her like a beast waiting for its prey to become weak and fall, so it could devour it?

Fear, she thought. She had read about it before, when she was smaller. It was a trick of the mind that humans instilled within themselves and used to take advantage of the weak. The fear that pounds in one's mind and impairs their judgement, the fear that eats away at the minds of humans and causes them to bow before the 'strong'. The fear that stalks all, knows the weaknesses of all it encounters to the very last detail. The fear that kills.

The fear Reyn should not be feeling. What was she afraid of?

Failure, she realized, she didn't wish to let her comrades down.

For the sake of shaking her head clear, she began to think, slowly at first.

She thought of her own life as a child. She thought of her life as a soldier. She thought of the testing she went through.

At the age of fifteen, all Aerugans are given the option to test into a special section of the military; the place where the technology differed greatly. It was a fine faction - in the headquarters, it was almost as elegant as the residence of the Prince. Gold lined the walls, with wonderful paintings or sculptures. Glittering like the moonlight, an innumerable amount of tiny lights - flourescent, she remembered, paraded the border of the ceiling. Pieces of the tanks that failed their test runs were placed in glass containers as if the area was a museum. Inventions the public hadn't caught wind of quite yet, such as aerosol cans and antibiotics, were used almost daily.

"Going somewhere, sweetheart?"

Reyn turned sharply, her senses on edge. The torchlight had dimmed to less than a mere candle, the cold end wedged in between her teeth. She could barely see her new companion, though by his voice she could tell it wasn't Matthew.

Whoever it was knew where he was going. Before Reyn could object, he stepped forward and ripped the candlestick from her mouth, snuffing the last bit of light out. They were in the dark.

The stoic girl remained calm, taking the shield from her back with her good arm; she was expecting a fight. Her eyes fluttered shut, as they were useless.

"Hm? You're so quick to judge." The boy seemed to sneer, "Calm down, I'm not gonna kill you... or am I?" He chuckled, a childish snicker that echoed through the tunnels. "Jeez, so tense."

Reyn stiffened slightly, her injured arm pounding in protest. Her time was running out.

But what was this red tint she saw from under her eyelids? Promptly, her eyes flashed open, and she caught sight of a blazing fire as if its holder was an Olympian. The incandescence lit the tunnel instantly, and Reyn's last view was none other than Matthew Fisher, with his chocolate, wavy hair and deep ebony irises.

"Reyn!"

She fell, dead to the world.

...

Reyn was blinded by the bright, white lights when she opened her eyes, and habitually she closed them again. She still felt tiredness wash over her body in waves, commanding her to rest a little more. The covers of the bed were thin, but warm, and she pulled them over her shoulder as she turned over. A tiny yawn escaped her throat.

"Aw, that's kinda cute."

In a split second, the stoic girl turned around to face the one who spoke. She immediately relaxed. "Matthew, sir..." Reyn spoke, "It is relieving to see you."

"Is it?" He smiled. "I... honestly didn't know you could feel that far."

"It is relieving because now I know I haven't let my comrades down." She explained, "The fear is gone." What she said was true; her fears that she felt so close to her in the tunnel had vanished. She was the same stoic soldier that she was when she first met the man. Wasn't she?

She thought back on it, and realized that after socializing, she was indeed not the same as she was when she was when she had first been released into the military. She was, in fact, different, and even she knew. When she was confined, she would not think at all; in fact, she had only discovered the happening of the noises in her mind when she was in the tunnel.

Ironically, she held her head as the sound of a tank crashing exploded in her head. Matthew gasped softly, pushing her back down into the bed. "Go back to sleep."

"Matthew," Reyn ignored him, wide awake now. "How did you fight off the stranger in the tunnel?" The thought suddenly slammed into her. "Or did you escape with me before you could fight?"

Matthew smiled slightly. "You could say that... now go to sleep, Reyn, you're the best part of the team. It'd be sad if you didn't recover soon enough."

She obliged, doing as she was told.

For most people, a dream was a dream; a regular part of life.

For Reyn, though, a dream was a gift from God.


	9. Train

**_Chapter 9_**

The sun blinded her eyes as she walked across the sand, up the mountain; a lofty hill composed of loosely packed rocks that shifted under her feet. Reyn smiled slightly as she looked up at the house over the hill, remembering what amazing times she spent there as a child. Dreams were pure bliss; they spoke to her softly, their incantations luring her into deeper sleep. The stoic girl smiled and knocked on the door, grinning as it opened to reveal a man with shining ebony hair, his eyes like tiny pools of verdigris teardrops, hiding timidly behind his glasses, the glasses that sat square and wide across his face. This was Reyn's father, she immediately noted, this is my father. She embraced him with a gesture filled with love and happiness, and he returned the hug joyfully.

The dream continued as a dream would. Time passed, and when night came, she and her father sat by a warm, flickering fire. Their cheeks like roses in spring, they opened a number of presents; surprised at each and every one, tears of joy were shed. Reyn smiled brightly in her dream - Her unconscious, material counterpart only made an incoherent gesture with her lips. She knew this memory, though warped and obscure; It was her fourteenth birthday.

Then, like a flash, the dream fizzled away and vanished. She opened her eyes, slowly. Matthew stood before her, grinning wonderfully before throwing the blankets off of the hospital bed. "It's time to get up." He chuckled, "We're taking that train to Ishval soon enough."

Instantaneously, she sat up, gathering what little belongings she had. "May you remind me again of what exactly we are doing in Ishval?"

Matthew nodded. "Transferring rifles. There's no need to be in disguise, yet, at least." He straightened his uniform before bending down and retrieving a crate that seemed to be heavy. "Here they are. Careful, okay? Most of them are loaded."

Reyn quickly dressed herself in her uniform, and stacked the remaining crates in her arms until they were quite as lofty as her head. Her weapon took the form of a pistol, secured in the inside pocket of her jacket. Matthew nodded to her and departed without another word.

On the way to the train station, Reyn decided to pester Matthew once more about the strange happenings in the tunnel.

"Matthew, sir..." She started, keeping her voice toneless and hollow by default, "I have something to say about the tunnels."

"What is it?" He smiled. His voice was smooth, but she could detect apprehensiveness in it easily.

Reyn continued. "My judgement may have been impaired by my dehydration, but I felt the way air flowed in the tunnels. It moved too freely, making it impossible for it to be a straight tunnel. I believe it moved in a kind of circle."

He froze for just a moment. "What? A circle... as in, alchemy?" Matthew frowned, "That's not good. It might be part of Amestris' plans. After we deliver these, we should take a search party. Just to be sure." He smiled a golden smile, lighting up his surroundings like a matchstick. Reyn nodded, saluting to him as a soldier would her commanding officer. They walked in silence for the rest of the trip.

Arriving at the train station, Reyn and her comrade strode into the building, still carrying the crates. No one questioned them, as their shining badges told a story without words. They were soldiers; questions were unnecessary if it meant Aerugo would prevail in their war.

The two were seated in the second-to-last car, next to the storage where they had set their crates down. Reyn sat down quietly, seeming quite aloof as she scanned her surroundings as per usual. Matthew smiled and reached into his pockets, looking for something.

That something was a pad of paper, and a blue pen. He tapped Reyn's shoulder gently, and she turned.

"It's going to be a long train ride." He grinned mischievously, "Let's play a game."

Reyn nodded, though her reaction to his suggestion was quite apathetic. "What game would you like to play?" She said tonelessly.

Matthew drew four lines in a stitch pattern. "Let's play a game I call Tic-Tac-Toe."

Reyn nodded again, taking the pen in her hand. "Will this entertain you?"

He sighed sadly, and nodded. "I'd hoped it would entertain you." Matthew said quietly.

She didn't respond at first, and then: "I do not require entertainment. I exist only to protect you and all other Aerugan soldiers."

Matthew knew it was true. So why was he trying so hard to break the stone wall that hid her true self?


	10. Assailant

_**Hello :D So uh... yeah. Have fun with this. It was fun to write, especially if you know who a certain someone is...**_

_**Chapter 10**_

Transferring the crates proved to be quite easy. Matthew led Reyn to a tall, older building which seemed quite weak, and together they shook hands with a number of Ishvalans, passing the weapons on. They were gone from the two Aerugan's sight soon enough.

Matthew yawned. "Well, you can look around, Reyn. I'm off to Aerugo, but you've got some free time on your hands, so have a little bit of uh... freedom. Whatever you do in your free time." He laughed, and just like that, disappeared out the door.

Reyn was alone, but not alone, she felt, as she walked along the sides of the building.

She studied the building, taking in the stone pillar's design with a sharp eye. Soon she had memorized every crack, texture, and colour of every part of every dull grey wall. Perhaps it was time to depart, she thought. Her work here was done.

Reyn felt oddly displaced though, as if someone was watching her from the moment Matthew left the building. It couldn't be her imagination. She couldn't seem to shake this lingering presence that clung to the room like a cobweb. As if she had a sixth sense, Reyn perceived the word assassin: It made sense for Amestris to send them, after all. What glory would come to the one who killed Aerugo's most valued weapon?

But where? She began to turn, subtly around, searching for this unknown threat. For a split second, Reyn felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, just moments before she heard footsteps. The assassin revealed herself; how foolish, Reyn thought, confronting your target when you had a much cleaner chance of victory striking from the silent shadows. This foolish girl only looked Reyn over once, and then smirked, a cold gesture that did not stir Reyn in the slightest.

"Reyn Fukerita, correct?" She spoke, confirming the stoic woman's suspicions. How imprudent. This half-baked assailant's chance had long passed, blown off into the wind.

"That is me." Reyn spoke aloud, then nodded. Her assassin didn't give her another chance to speak as she lunged for her, knives bared like a dragon's teeth. The stoic girl looked into her assailant's coal black eyes for a fraction of a moment before, naturally, taking her massive weapon from where it sat on her waist and expertly blocking the attack. The quicksilver took the form of a stocky, sturdy sword at the moment, and Reyn knew that its form had no need to change for this occasion.

The two entered a morbid dance at once in an attempt to destroy the other.

Slashing at the murderer's neck, Reyn readjusted her grip with skill as the girl ducked, causing the blade to crash through one of the building's stone pillars. This was her true intention; she knew from studying the building that the stone served as a weapon as well.

Adventitiously for the black eyed girl, Reyn did not succeed in breaking the pillar completely, and their dance continued. Perhaps Reyn, if she could, would be laughing at this moment, for the two almost seemed to resemble a lion and a serpent clashing in battle. After all, this assailant seemed quite snakelike indeed, her movements quick and fluid, as Reyn's were quick as well, but also powerful compared to her spindly opponent.

Their wicked dance continued, though the two were not matched. Reyn's assailant had begun to shoot at her, as she expected, but it was to no avail; Reyn expertly parried. However, her assailant had suffered a number of injuries compared to the simple gash bestowed on Reyn's left ankle. Many of them were simply bullet wounds that she herself created - Reyn reflected more bullets the assassin shot than the number of worthy injuries Reyn had sustained. Along with those wounds, Reyn landed a sick-looking stab wound into the girl's shoulder; it left a gash that would surely be a pain.

This half-witted girl, as Reyn surely knew, had been fighting a losing battle from the start, and the stoic girl glanced upward, confirming what her ears perceived faintly; cracks had begun to creep into the ceiling in a weblike fashion. Reyn knew to pull her sword back as a large portion of the ceiling dislodged itself from its rightful place and interrupted their clash.

The assailant must have realized not only the fact that she could not win the fight, but also the fact that she nor Reyn would survive if they continued their attempt to slaughter the other; she reached for a nearby windowsill and escaped.

For Reyn, doing so would be much harder. After her assassin departed, another massive part of the wall blocked the window with a sickening snap. Quicker than lightning, she set her foot down, her weapon tucked under her arm, and began to scale the weak wall as it crumbled to dust under her dextrous fingers. The fires of her injured ankle branded her with pain. By the time Reyn had touched the ground on the other side, thin red stripes coated the grey wall.

Reyn leant against the remaining length of the building for a moment, for once taking the luxury of catching what little breath there was needed to retrieve.

After all, if that is truly the best Amestrians could offer, what does the lion need to be cautious for? Nothing but a small, pitiful snake whose poisonous fangs mean nothing under the thick padding of his paw...


	11. Game

**YAY My chapters are getting longer by default XD **

**As per usual please forgive me for any mistakes in here. I'm so tired; put where it is in a review or PM or whatever and I'll fix it **

**Chapter 11**

"What happened to you?" Matthew blinked, looking Reyn's tattered clothing over once or twice. "Fall off a cliff?" He laughed.

The two sat on a train headed back to Aerugo - by the time Reyn reached the station, Matthew had just boarded the train.

There was something Reyn felt obliged to ask, though she almost knew that she would receive a vague answer. "Matthew." She nodded, "I engaged in battle with a stranger I thought to be an assassin." His eyes widened slightly, though he remained calm as he turned to face her completely. "Nothing serious, if you came back with so few injuries, right?" He nodded.

Reyn thought quite differently, but she nodded as well and began to tend to her wounds.

"I have good news, otherwise," Matthew smiled, eyeing the bandage that had been wrapped tightly around her ankle, "You've been invited to a ball in the Prince's company. I received the letter right when I got on the train, so it must be important. Perhaps he wants to speak with you personally?" He laughed, raising his eyebrows. "I have to accompany you as well," He continued, "It would be nice if you had a dress to wear."

"I can take care of that." She saluted. "When is His Majesty's ball?"

"In three days. Hurry the hell up."

The train had stopped an hour ago, and Reyn knew to stop by the military headquarters first; she was covered in perspiration, dirt, and blood.

Taking quick steps to the shower hall, Reyn looked around, and for once, thought.

What could be the purpose of this dance? Reyn was special to the military, yes, but not valuable at this point. She was a success and the doctors had every detail of the operation on paper. It would be no trouble to replace her. There was no point in giving her the honor of inviting her this dance.

Perhaps it was some sort of trap, she concluded.

Three days passed without trouble, and Reyn arrived at the train station bearing her regular uniform, her face remaining a stoic mask. Matthew spotted her from where he sat, and beckoned her over to him.

"You found one, I hope?" He smiled, and indicated a hanger covered in plastic film.

"It's mine."

The paragon of elegance, Matthew thought as he walked with his retinue to the hall. Walking proudly beside him, Reyn caught the eyes of many with the fishhook of her cold, stupendous beauty. She paid no heed to them, for her dressing did not matter - Reyn's appearance at the occasion would be a sight to begin with.

She had dressed herself in a stunning ballgown; bloodred lace, strewn across the hem of her dress, hung pointed down in small spikes, like the petals of flowers. Deep violet painted the body of the gown, a dark purple that contrasted greatly with the loose golden belt that hung across her waist. On the other hand, Matthew had come dressed in a mahogany uniform much like the soldier's uniform, but much more fanciful, and festive. Golden sashes lay across the chest of his attire, brightening the colours intensely. He looked absolutely stunning.

The troop made their way to the ballroom with some spare time, as the people began to choose who thier initial partners would be once the music started to play.

Most here were either senators or higher ranking soldiers, perhaps some from the palace or members of His Majesty's royal guard.

Suddenly, Matthew turned, facing Reyn. His expression changed slightly; he almost seemed pained, as if he knew that something drastic would happen soon.

"Reyn..." He started. "Would you say..."

"That we were friends?"

Reyn faltered, looking slightly taken aback by the sudden question. What was he asking? What did he seek as an answer? She winced slightly; the sound of breaking glass invaded her mind as she asked herself these questions.

"...P-Precision of language, please, sir Matthew." She spoke, and in her confusion Matthew heard the music begin to play, and so he took her hand in his and led the foxtrot, his feet moving in time with the music. Reyn's began to move as well, but quite slowly. Matthew had to adjust to her steps.

"You know what I mean." Matthew smiled. "Am I your friend? Allies, of course we are, but I thought we could be friends."

She nodded. "I see. What is it that 'friends' do? I have seen little of what is outside of military work, though my knowledge of it is vast; For some reason, however, I know little of social interaction. Perhaps you can teach me, if that would benefit you. I have no interest in it myself."

Matthew nodded as they danced, twirling with the music. "Of course you wouldn't," He said almost sadly, "I thought so... just think about it, yeah?"

She nodded.

By this time, the men would switch partners. And so they did, Reyn taking the hand of another man and leaving Matthew to dance with the next woman that would come.

This man was quite a surprise - Any Aerugan would know the face of their prince.

It was definitely not her imagination. There was something quite wrong with the Prince. Reyn noticed it as they danced - His eyes were too blue, or his smile too crooked. As for the latter, Reyn would know nothing of it. But she knew that something was terribly off. It was almost like the feeling she had in the tunnels so long ago.

The feeling that someone else was there.

She only had her suspicions, but it would mean possible death to let it go. Accusing him straight away would result in punishment if she was wrong. There was another option, though, and 'His Majesty' placed it right into her hands.

"Miss Reyn, if you would come with me." He started, his voice smooth. "I have a sort of..." A smirk crossed his face, "...proposition for you."

He began to walk, and Reyn followed.

If Reyn could smile, she would. This man was playing a dangerous game.


	12. Betrayed

**_So uh, again, I apologize for anything stupid I said in this XD Tell meh in PM/review _**

**_NOW READ MY LITTLE BISCUITS_**

Chapter 12

The prince led her to a room quite far from the music, sitting down at a small table and gesturing for Reyn to do the same. And the longer the two talked, the more Reyn was sure this man was not who he made himself out to be.

"Do you like this kingdom?" He asked.

"My apologies for this correction, but Aerugo is a princedom, led by you." She replied stiffly. He nodded and scratched his head nervously. "Sorry, I must be tired." He concluded, "I had quite a rough night." Reyn nodded, though quite suspicious. She kept one ear open to the music outside as she listened to this idiot.

After perhaps half an hour of meaningless talk and correction from Reyn, the man smiled gently and stood. Reyn could see tiny red sparks dancing around the top of his head, moving downwards like a laser until the Prince was no more - in his place stood a shorter, pale skinned teen that bore streaks of pitch black hair; long and straight like daggers. His eyes, amethyst and shining, flickered dangerously. "Thanks, Reyn," He cackled, "It was nice talking to you. I think, though, it's time your life ended."

Reyn stood as well now, knowing that without her weapon she would most likely stand less of a chance defeating this impostor.

Faster than a snake, the shapeshjifter's right arm stretched, lashing out at Reyn and wrapping itself around her leg - she was thrown into the air and brought back down with a sickening thud. She could hear the blood rush in her ears as she resisted the urge to lose consciousness; pushing herself up, she faced this strange monster, weighing her options.

To return to the ballroom and seek Matthew's assistance might take much too long, and it would also put Matthew in danger; therefore this was impossible. Reyn could not risk harming the other soldiers.

As she was thinking, Reyn heard the impostor's sinister chuckle once more before he attempted to slash at her, his arm in the form of a blade. She dodged his assault with pure skill, but soon she began to tire herself - defending herself in the dress was a bit of an annoyance, if not a burden. If she did not cease attacking then she would face more and more injury until she could not take any more. These thoughts began to manifest themselves into words, tugging at her lips until, stone faced, she held her hands in the air and spoke.

"Stop. I surrender."

To her slight surprise, the intruder did stop, bewildered. "What?" He nearly rasped.

"I believe you heard my words." She answered tonelessly, beginning to think through her options once more.

There was the chance the impostor would kill her. If so, then that would be the end of it, she thought, I will die.

Another option for the man was to take Reyn as a prisoner, possibly of war. This was of no concern to her; she could escape easily.

The third was for him to leave. There was no chance of this.

"... Get changed, and come back here in five minutes." He ordered suddenly, and involuntarily, Reyn nodded and left the room without a word. She frowned slightly as she passed the people in the ballroom, glancing at Matthew. He did not see her.

Instead of simply changing into a spare uniform, Reyn made her way back to the center she and Matthew had left their possessions at prior to the dance, and retrieved her quicksilver weapon. She held it for a moment, allowing it to shrink down to the size of a coin before, quite heftily, for now it was compacted, dense and heavy, slipping it into her left boot.

The impostor truly was rash, she thought, to let her out of his sight. Perhaps it was another trap, as her invitation to this ball apparently turned out to be.

Reyn found herself to be correct, for when she made it back to the room, The impostor was standing with another.

Reyn could almost hear the blood rush to her ears.

Matthew stood next to this impostor. Reyn would be indifferent to this, if not for the cold smirk Matthew wore, and the voice with which he spoke.

"Hello, Reyn," He laughed, "Meet my friend, Envy."

At first, nothing happened. Reyn froze, observing the situation with a stone mask. And then, she felt something inside her explode.

What blasphemy was this, for her first comrade to be in league with the enemy?!

Betrayal, she suddenly recognized, she felt betrayed. She knew someday she would encounter this in her travels, but what she imagined was dust to the stabbing pain she felt in her mind.

Reyn could feel herself moving forward, her eyes narrowed. This bastard, Matthew was, to betray his own country. "What is the purpose of this mutiny, Corporal Fisher?" She asked calmly, watching the two laugh over her questioning.

"This isn't mutiny. This is for your own country's sake. I don't want to hurt you or Aerugo or anything." He chuckled. "I'm saving you. Think of it that way."

Reyn reached downward, towards her shoe, before a loud thudding noise resounded in the room, causing her vision to go black moments after assessing the pain in her forehead...


	13. Beaten

_**So this is kinda overdue**_

_**and crappy and stuff but you know what**_

_**Well the assassin belongs to Sil (ForciblySilent) and**_

_**and omigod blood...**_

**Chapter 13**

She felt quite cold as she awoke, and it was quite dark. Reyn took a deep breath; the area smelled quite damp. Perhaps she should feign unconsciousness. And so, she did, focusing her ears for new sounds or voices. She felt that her hands were tied behind her back and that she felt as if she were being dragged - when she raised her feet she could tell that one weighed far less than the other.

Good, she thought. Her weapon had not yet been taken from her.

Perhaps it was time for her to make her exit.

Slowly, her weapon grew to the shape of a knife, cutting through the material of the back of her boot like butter; Reyn brought her foot down in such a rapid, harsh manner that the knife acted as an anchor in the concrete. It created a horrid noise that resounded throughout the room.

She was yanked from her captor's grip, the ropes on her hands brushing against the concrete like nails against a chalkboard. They began to wear down, the stoic girl felt - perhaps this would be a good way to untie herself.

Without warning, her body lifted itself to its feet by the help of a stranger's hands. "You're awake - that's good." A rather gravelly and androgynous voice; the voice of Envy, Matthew's 'friend.' Reyn stumbled forward with him as he led her to the center of what seemed to Reyn a mass of pipes.

She didn't object - if she remembered correctly, she had been ordered to come with him.

Envy stopped in the face of an older blonde man, sitting in a chair in the center of the room. Reyn stared forward, inferring that this was the one she was brought to see.

"You are Reyn Fukerita, yes?" He spoke, reminding Reyn of herself; he was quite toneless as well. The stoic girl nodded. "Yes sir, that is me."

He nodded, bringing his fingers to his chin to stroke the beard that rested there. Inspecting her with an unsatisfied frown, the man sighed quietly, "And you were created to destroy the Amestrian army for the benefit of Aerugo?"

"Yes sir." She saluted to him.

The man nodded once more. "Envy... Take her back above ground."

Reyn let her hand drop, a little wary of this man. There were few excuses to simply let her go; after all, she was an enemy. This is another trap. She will die soon.

But, Envy did in fact take Reyn back above ground, answering the few questions the stoic girl asked. He was indeed inhuman - a homunculus, he had said. Perhaps Reyn should report this to Prince Claudio. It would be thrilling information. Alas, Envy had ordered her not to tell a single Aerugan soul of the immortal beings, and so she could not.

* * *

Much time passed; Matthew remained in the military, to Reyn's discontentment - she would tell of his betrayal, but that would mean telling Aerugans of the homunculi; she could not lie to her own people, and so the story could not be told. Matthew's retinue separated from Reyn and himself on a recon mission - Reyn guessed it was Matthew's intention to do so.

"They tell me you need to die." As Reyn turned, she could tell that it was her assailant from so long ago - her expression became wary with a slight sense of surprise. "I'll never ask why, but they do truy seem to hate you."

Matthew knew the three were alone - he stepped out of the area, leaving the serpent and the lion to do battle.

"Are you referring to the homunculi?" Reyn droned, carefully re-evaluating her opponent - it had been quite some time since they had last fought.

"Indeed." Her enemy smirked, taking a knife from where she hid it. "Let's see who wins this time."

Reyn responded to her threat, taking her shield from where it always lay resting upon her back - as her assassin charged at her, it took the form of a sword. Step by step, the two moved swiftly with one another, the coal eyed girl detecting Reyn's openings and taking advantage of them; she had improved, Reyn knew. Both women were suffering from many injuries.

At one point, Reyn stuck a deadly blow to the assassin's left side, red ooze seeping from the wound like paint. As she stepped back, her assassin began to shoot at her with a pistol - shots that Reyn easily deflected after the first shot, which penetrated her shoulder. Very swiftly, Reyn smacked the firearm from her opponent's hand, and as she scrambled for it, metal met metal in a sharp chorus; the gun was useless, the trigger broken in two.

"You bitch..." Her assailant hissed, taking two knives from her person and charging at Reyn as the stoic girl held her sword defensively.

They entered a grim dance, the assailant's change in attack patterns throwing Reyn completely off guard; every other cut or stab was unexpected. Soon she found herself pinned by both hands to the floor, at the mercy of her assassin. Her weapon was far off, out of reach.

"_You think it's okay to fuck up my stuff?!"_ Her assassin yelled furiously.

This is the moment of my death, Reyn thought. It is over.

But the assassin did not kill her instantly. Pain shot through Reyn's body as a knife was jammed into her side, causing her to clench her teeth. Her stomach churned in agony, almost pleading through the pain.

"Respond!"

Reyn nearly gasped as a fist was driven through the wound, pain searing through her like a branding iron. But, the word respond truly was an order...

"I did what I must have done." She choked.

"What you had to do, huh?" The woman sneered. "Well then... I _had_ to do this."

A horrid chorus of Reyn's screams filled the air soon after.

* * *

She could not speak. She could not listen. _All she could do was bleed._

The assailant had torn a massive gash into Reyn's right thigh, the gorge ending at her knee. Reyn would bleed to death if Matthew didn't return...

Of course, Matthew did; he seemed quite satisfied by Reyn's state. The traitor smiled slightly - by this time, Reyn was unconscious, on the verge of life. She may die; in Ishval, there were no hospitals that could harbor such wounds... No, Matthew thought, she must stay alive.

By the time Reyn awoke, her mind was clouded and foggy; she perceived the word sedatives. This was acceptable. After all, she did need medical attention.

_How possible, she asked herself, how is it that I live, still?_


	14. Aerugan Pride

_**Chapter 14**_

This time, Reyn did not dream. She floated between the planes of slight consciousness, where she could feel and think but not quite open her eyes, and a dark, deep abyss of sleep for a long, long time, simply recalling past events when she could think(if these memories were truly dreams, Reyn had not even the slightest hint). She had been beaten, horribly beaten, by her assailant, and she would make sure that it would not happen again; this couldn't possibly do.

Matthew walked with the doctor as they both pushed Reyn's gurney to her assigned room. The two spoke in sharp, formal tones that filled the air.

"She'll be fine, she'll heal just fine." Said the doctor in an attempt to reassure Matthew. "She'll be back in Aerugo as soon as possible."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Matthew argued sharply, "Of course she'll heal just fine - I'm worried about how she'll wake up - sedate her." He insisted, "A second dose."

"Mr. Fisher," The doctor turned to him, "I can assure you that she will not leave the hospital."

"You don't know that."

"Fine." He sighed, "I'll strap her legs down to the bed."

And so it was done.

* * *

When Reyn awoke, she did not open her eyes at all, simply stirring quietly around - she could hear a familiar voice...

She finally opened her eyes, her pupils falling upon her assailant, the coal eyed girl - and another with fire coloured hair.

But something was terribly off. She looked around the room, frantically almost, searching for the one and only possession she truly had; when she could not find it, she looked again - nothing. Nearly terrified, Reyn made an effort to get up and out of the bed despite the fresh stitches that clung to her wounds; the pain would be worth it if she found her weapon. But something stopped her... she looked down to see the cloth strapped to her ankles - and the bed itself. There was no way she could leave. The stoic girl dropped back down to the bed, still attempting to free herself, when the red haired man placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to still her.

"Whoa, are you okay?" He asked her, his voice caring. "You're going to hurt yourself if you're not careful."

Disregarding his words, Reyn stared at him. "Where is it?" She asked.

"Where is what?" The boy looked rather confused, and Reyn was about to ask when the two were interrupted.

"I believe she means this, Kay." Her assailant raised Reyn's weapon, still as a sword, onto her lap.

How dare she, Reyn thought, no Amestrian snake is to hold her weapon. They do not deserve to wield the weapon that took years to craft, that took millions to make.

"Give it to me." Reyn deadpanned.

"No; this is a very curious weapon, would you mind explaining it?" Her assailant asked, and immediately Reyn responded.

"It is not yours to wield, now give it to me." She said again - the assassin rolled her eyes. "Aerugan, you're in Amestris - any allies you may have are distanced from you. Now answer my question; when I was fighting you, this was a shield, until it suddenly transformed into a sword. How does that work?"

Reyn answered, obliged by the assassin's word choice. "It responds to my thoughts and changes form." She droned.

"Oh? What an odd device." The assassin tilted her head. "Surely that's impossible."

Reyn would laugh if her mind and body would allow. These Amestrians were so... primitive compared to the things people could use in Aerugo's finest cities.

"Perhaps for you Amestrians, but due to technology advances in Aerugo, it has been created." Reyn deadpanned, answering. "Now give it back to me, snake."

She withheld it. "Nah, I don't think I will."

Reyn made a nearly inaudible noise of discontentment that could be compared to a cat mewling, and began to struggle again. Kay - the red haired one, began to protest. "Joice, just give it back, it's not like she can hurt you."

So the Amestrian's name was Joice...?

What a... foolish name. What does that even mean, 'Joice,' Reyn began to think. She knew that Reyn meant 'Experiment' in her language and so she was called Reyn. That name had purpose. But Joice? Perhaps it was something meaningful in Amestrian, but it meant nothing in Aerugan language - just a combination of sounds that seem to sound like a name. Amestrians are... strange, she concluded.

And again, she thought, I seem to have grown a sense of Aerugan pride.

Before Reyn could register what was going on outside of her thoughts, the assassin - Joice - was next to her hospital bed, presenting her sword to her. Reyn took it as it transformed into its default - a shield - in her hands.

Perhaps pride is not such a bad thing, Reyn analyzed, if what men says of pride is true... pride kept Reyn alive.


End file.
